Umbrella construction



Aug. 7, 1934. w. s. EVANS UMBRELLA CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 18, 1933 INVENTOR WLlL/HQ 15. Eva 11s,

Patented Aug. 7, 1934 The object of the invent-ion is-to' provide-ir'n provements in umbrella construction broadlyybut" more especially in the construction" andassembly of each of the structural units;

Another object more specifically is toprovide improvements'in the construction and inter+relation of the stretchers and tongues of each-rib" unit. Heretofore, when stretchers of-U-shaped cross section have been used, whether'of plain metallic appearance or coated with paint or enamel, their convex Surfaces have beenfdi'rected upwardly or away from-the manually' gripped" handle portion, and consequently-away from the I one using the umbrella, thereby causing thecon cave surfaces to be directed towards the-user.

However, with an increasing demand for umbrellas in which the stretchers' and tongues; as

well as the ribs, shaft and other structural elements, are of relative bright appearance in contrast with the color of thefabric covering; it has been found that difficulty andgreatly increased costs are experienced, in polishing the concavesurfaces of said stretchers and tongues, as when they are nickel, chromium, or otherwise,- brightly= plated.

A further object is therefore to providea structure in which the convex instead of the-concave manner, while'ata'point spaced from said shaft surfaces of the stretchers= are directeddown' wardly, or towards the user when'the umbrella is in extended or operative position, oraway" from the shaft when ininoperative or closed po-- sition, in combination with substantally flator tion, which consists informing the radially outer end of the tongue in the shape of a hook, normally extending thru an aperture in the correspondingly adjacent stretcher, or thru an enlargement of the recess formed by the bifurcation thru which the rib extends, and to the arms of which the rib is actually pivoted, thereby eliminating a rivet or pivot pin in each rib unit, and also facilitating the ease with which the unit is initially assembled or subsequently repaired.

And a still further object is to provide a construction in an automatically extendible umbrella, which permits of the ready repair and/or replacement of parts, and thereby overcoming the great difiiculty offered by the highly tensioned spring with which such an umbrella is equipped.

With these objects in mind, the invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are fully brought out in the following description; when" read in) conjunction 'with' the-accompanying drawing, in which Par-Eur seer-cs" Fig.1 is adiagrammaticviewiof theshaft'and'i two'diam'etrically oppositely""positioned: rib" unitsv ofan umbrellapomprisingoneembodiment of the" invention; I Figrz is afragmentaryyiew,showingthe intererelation'of the shaft; ribs, stretchers and" tongues an automatically' extendible umbrella',-'

and bearing; in mindthat only sufficient portions Ofth'e'cOmpl'ete'structure are shown, to illustrate" the-principlesinvolved; I a

Fig. 3 an enlargedsection' on the line"3 3 of Fig: 2; and j v I Fig; 4 isan enlargedfragmentaryviewypartlyfl in section, of the'joint andmethod of uniting each setofribs;stretchersand tongues,-when' in operative or extended-relation;

Referring to the drawing, an umbrella'is rep- 7 resented as comprising a shaft'l, having'a manually engageable portion or handle2, and carrying upon it's-normal up er portion rib units, each inturn comprisingarib '3," astretchern normally under-longitudinal compression; and 'a'tongue 5 the-rib is provided with any desired form; of suit-,-

'ably shapeddugfl; The stretcher is of substan' f tially U-shlaped cross section (Fig.3) and'as usual "Each tongue in the improved construction-"is providedwith'a-reversely bent or hookedputer'z' end portion 9, which extends thru' the bifurcation of the adjacent stretcher, or thru an aperture in said stretcher spaced from said bifurcation, as may be desired. The radially inner end of each stretcher is pivotally secured to a collar 10 in the usual manner, said last-named collar being slidable upon said shaft, and in its uppermost position being stopped in movement by engagement with a resilient washer 11, of rubber or other suitable material, said washer being operatively positioned by means of a collar 12, which is fixedly secured by means of a pin 13 to said shaft.

Each of said tongues is pivotally secured in the usual manner to a collar 14, which last-named collar may comprise an integral flanged extension of a cylindrical housing 15 for a compression spring 16, and into which housing telescopically slides a second sleeve 17, into which said spring also extends and of which second or inner sleeve in' other specific forms without departing from In the operation of the improved construction,

with the umbrella in lowered, or collapsed position the spring is contracted and under relatively high compression between the opposite ends of the two telescopic sleeves, which are then also'in contracted position, and in the several rib units the respective ribs, stretchers and tongues are in collapsed parallel relation'against and with respect to the shaft. In order to raise or extend the umbrella, the button 20 is manually depressed,

and the spring thereupon tends to separate the,

two telescoped sleeves, thereby separating the radially inward ends of the respective pairs ofv stretchers and tongues, of each rib unit resulting in the extension of the corresponding ribs, and the stretching of the usual cover fabric (not shown) into operative position, where it possesses the normal tension for which it is designed.

, In order to repair an umbrella of this construction, the pin 13 is removed and the tension of the spring permitted to force the collars 10 and 12 upwardly as far as they will go, whereupon it becomes easy to disengage .the hooked portion 9 of as many tongues as desired from their adjacent stretchers. The stretchers also may then be removed and repaired or replaced by separating them from their attached collars 10, after which they are reinstated in the structure, as during the original manufacture. The repaired tongue or tongues, or new ones substituted therefor, are then attached to the collar 14 and their hooked :end portions inserted in the adjacent stretchers.

:ready for use in the customary manner, when a normal downward pull upon the sleeve '15 operates thru the tongues to force the stretchers in- .wardly and their supporting sleeve 1'7 also downwardly, bringing the ribs together and gradually telescoping said sleeves and compressing said spring, so as to restore to the structure the original motivating force or tension, whereby the umbrella is again raised into operative position when desired.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not descriptive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:- r

1. In an umbrella, the combination of a stretcher having an opening, and a tongue having a hooked terminal portion, normally removably positioned in said opening.

2. In an umbrella, the combination of a rib,

with. a lug carried thereby, a stretcher having a bifurcated end portion providing an intervening elongated opening larger than required to accommodate said lug, and a tongue having a hooked terminal portion, normally removably positioned in said opening independently of said lug.

' 3. In an umbrella, the combination of a stretcher of U-shaped cross section having an opening, anda tongue comprising a transversely fiat member having a hooked terminal portion, normally removably positioned in said opening.

a. Inv an umbrella, the combination of a stretcher of U-shaped cross section, and a tongue pivotally connected thereto, said tongue being transversely fiat and the. concave side of said stretcher being directed away from said tongue.

5. In an umbrella, the combination of a rib,

away from said tongue, and said tongue being fiat to permit close association with the convex side of said stretcher, when said rib, said stretcher and said tongue are in collapsed or folded position. I Y

6. In an umbrella, the combination of a shaft, a rib pivotally connected thereto; a stretcher and a tongue pivotally connected to said rib, said tongue being in normal hooked engagement with said stretcher, a pair of sleeves slidable upon said shaft, a spring normally separating said sleeves, said stretcher being pivotally connected to one sleeve, and said tongue being pivotally connected to the other sleeve, a stop, means to normally fix said stop to said shaft to limit the separation of said sleeves, said stretcher and tongue, and said stop when shifted, after being released from said means, towards the pivotal connection of said rib with said shaft, permitting the further separation of said sleeves, removal of the tension upon said tongue, and the unhooking of said tongue from said stretcher.

I WAYNE S. EVANS. 

